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physics definition Flashcards

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1
Q

physical quantity

A

a quantity that is measurable

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2
Q

base quantity

A

a physical quantity that cannot be derived in terms of other physical quantities

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3
Q

example of base quantity

give 6

A

length, mass, time, electric current, temperature

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4
Q

scalar quantity

A

a physical quantity which has ONLY magnitude

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5
Q

vector quantity

A

a physical quantity which has magnitude and direction

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6
Q

linear motion

A

motion in a straight line

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7
Q

distance

A

total length of path of object moving from one location to another

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8
Q

example of scalar quantity

A

distance, speed

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9
Q

example of vector quantity

A

displacement, velocity, acceleration

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10
Q

displacement

A

distance an object moves in a specific direction

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11
Q

Newton’s first law of motion aka as

A

law of inertia

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12
Q

inertia

A

every object continues its state of rest or in uniform speed unless acted upon by an external force

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13
Q

momentum

A

a product of mass and velocity

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14
Q

principle of conservation of momentum

A

the total momentum of a system is constant, if no external force acts on it

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15
Q

explosion

A

a closed system which does not involve any external force

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16
Q

what happens to total momentum in an explosion?

A

it is conserved

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17
Q

force

A

push or pull

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18
Q

Newton’s second law of motion

A

net force of an object is proportional to the rate of change of momentum

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19
Q

Newton’s third law of motion

A

to every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction

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20
Q

impulse

A

product of force and time interval during which the force acts

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21
Q

impulsive force

A

rate of change of momentum during collision or explosion

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22
Q

weight

A

the force of gravity which is exerted on it by Earth

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23
Q

Kepler’s first law (law of ellipses)

A

orbits of planets are ellipses with the Sun in one of its focus

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24
Q

Kepler’s second law (law of areas)

A

a line joining the planet with the Sun sweeps over equal areas in equal intervals of time as planet moves in orbit

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25
Q

from kepler’s second law, the planet closer to the Sun

A

moves faster

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26
Q

kepler’s third law (law of periods)

A

the square of period is directly proportional to the cube of orbital radius

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27
Q

escape velocity

A

the minimum velocity an object needs to overcome the gravitational pull of Earth and escape into outer space without falling back

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28
Q

geostationary satellite

A

a satellite in geostationary orbit around Earth on the equatorial plane

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29
Q

example of man made satellites

A

ISS Space Station

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30
Q

natural satellite

A

any object in space orbiting larger planets

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31
Q

thermal equilibrium

A

a state in which there is no net flow of heat between two bodies
the temperature of the two objects are equal

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32
Q

heat capacity, C

A

heat which is required to increase the temperature of the substance by 1 C

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33
Q

specific heat capacity, c

A

heat which is required to increase the temperature of 1 kg of substance by 1 C

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34
Q

latent heat

A

heat absorbed or given out at a constant temperature during change of phase

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35
Q

latent heat of vaporisation

A

heat energy released during condensation or boiling

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36
Q

latent heat of fusion

A

heat energy released during freezing or melting

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37
Q

specific latent heat

A

amount of heat needed to change phase of 1 kg of substance at a constant temperature

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38
Q

boyle’s law

A

for a gas of fixed mass, the pressure is inversely proportional to its volume if temperature is constant

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39
Q

pressure law

A

for a gas of fixed mass, pressure is directly proportional to its absolute temperature if volume is constant

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40
Q

charle’s law

A

for a gas of fixed mass, the volume of the gas is directly proportional to the absolute temperature of gas provided pressure of gas is constant

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41
Q

how to convert C to K

A

+ 273

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42
Q

longitudinal wave

A

wave where the particles of the medium vibrate in a direction that is parallel to direction of wave motion

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43
Q

transverse wave

A

wave where particles of medium vibrate in direction perpendicular to direction of wave motion

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44
Q

wavefront

A

a line which vibrations on it are in the same phase

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45
Q

wavelength

A

distance between two successive wavefront

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46
Q

amplitude

A

maximum displacement from its equilibrium position

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47
Q

period, T

A

time taken to complete one oscillation

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48
Q

frequency

A

number of complete oscillation made by a vibrating system in one second

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49
Q

damping

A

decrease of amplitude of an oscillating system

during damping, an oscillating system loses its energy to surrounding

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50
Q

usually, the frequency of system remains

A

unchanged

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51
Q

resonance

A

happens in forced oscillation

when external force equal to natural frequency of system oscillate with maximum amplitude

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52
Q

reflection

A

wave strikes an obstacle and undergoes change in direction of propagation

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53
Q

law of reflection states how many things

A

2

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54
Q

first, angle of incident is

A

equal to angle of reflection

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55
Q

secondly incident wave, reflected wave and normal lie on

A

the same plane

56
Q

refraction

A

change in direction of propagation when a wave moves from one medium to another

57
Q

refraction caused by

A

change of speed of wave moving from one medium to another

58
Q

water wave refracts towards normal when

A

it travels from deep to shallow water

59
Q

water wave refracts away from normal when

A

it travels from shallow to deep water

60
Q

light wave refracts towards normal when

A

propagates to more optically dense medium

61
Q

light wave refracts away from normal when

A

propagates to optically less dense medium

62
Q

diffraction

A

spreading of wave when it travels through a small obstacle

63
Q

principle of superposition

A

when 2 or more waves meet, total displacement at any point is the vector sum ion each individual wave at that point

64
Q

coherent sources have _____ frequency and amplitude

A

same

65
Q

acronym of electromagnetic spectrum

A

Romeo Made It Very Ugly, X Good

66
Q

refraction

definition following light and optics

A

bending of light ray while propagating from one medium to another with different optical density

67
Q

law of refraction states that

A

value of sini/sinr is constant for light passing one medium to another

68
Q

snell’s law

A

value of sini/sinr is constant for light passing one medium to another

69
Q

refractive index indicates

A

the medium’s light bending ability

70
Q

critical angle, c

A

angle of incidence in optically denser medium for which angle of refraction is 90

71
Q

total internal reflection

A

total reflection of a beam of light at boundary

when angle of incidence in optically denser medium exceeds the critical angle

72
Q

what are the 2 conditions for Total internal reflection to occur

A
  1. light ray must propogate from optically denser medium to less optically dense medium
  2. angle of incidence must exceed critical angle
73
Q

power of a lens measure

A

ability to deviate an incident ray of light

74
Q

compound microscope

A

optical instrument used to view very small or fine objects

75
Q

astronomical telescope

A

optical instrument used to view objects at a great distance

76
Q

antinode

A

a point where 2 crests meet. constructive interference occurs

77
Q

resultant force

A

the single force that represents the vector sum of 2 or more forces acting on an object

78
Q

free body diagram

A

diagram that shows all forces acting on the object

79
Q

resolution of forces

A

process of resolving a force into two components

80
Q

forces in equilibrium

A

state an object is in when the forces acting on it produce zero resultant force

81
Q

triangle of forces

A

show equilibrium of three forces acting on object

82
Q

elasticity

A

property of material that enables object to return to its original shape and size after force acting on it is removed

83
Q

hooke’s law

A

extension of spring directly proportional to force applied on spring given the elastic limit is not exceeded

84
Q

elastic potential energy

A

energy stored as a result of applying a force to deform an elastic object.

85
Q

liquid pressure

A

is the increase in pressure at increasing depths in a liquid.

86
Q

pressure

A

continuous physical force exerted on or against an object by something in contact with it.

87
Q

actual pressure

A

addition of liquid pressure and atmospheric pressure

88
Q

atmospheric pressure

A

pressure within the atmosphere of Earth.

89
Q

atmospheric pressure aka

A

barometric pressure

90
Q

fortin barometer

A

mercury barometer that measures atmospheric pressure to a high degree of accuracy

91
Q

function of fortin barometer

A

measure atmospheric pressure at meteorological centres

92
Q

function of aneroid barometer

A

obtain a quick reading of atmospheric pressure

93
Q

aneroid barometers are suitable to be used in __

A

homes, ships and aeroplanes

94
Q

how many units of pressure are there?

A

4

95
Q

name the 4 units of pressure

A

Pa, mm Hg, m H2O, mbar

96
Q

gas pressure

A

caused when gas particles hit the walls of their container.

97
Q

manometer

A

a device to measure pressures

98
Q

pascal’s principle

A

pressure applied on an enclosed fluid is transmitted uniformly in all directions in fluid

99
Q

hydraulic system

A

system that uses a liquid to transmit pressure

100
Q

archimedes principle

A

an object which is partially or fully immersed in a fluid will experience a buoyant force equal to weight of fluid displaced

101
Q

buoyant force

A

force acting upwards on an object immersed in a liquid

102
Q

what is the one condition for buoyant force to occur

A

there is pressure difference between lower surface and upper surface of the object

103
Q

hydrometer

A

a measuring instrument that measures density of liquids

104
Q

ballast tanks

A

a compartment within a ship that holds water, to provide stability for a vessel

105
Q

plimsoll line

A

a reference mark indicates the maximum depth the vessel may be safely immersed when loaded with cargo

106
Q

Bernoulli’s principle

A

when velocity of a fluid increases, the pressure in fluid decreases and vice versa

107
Q

lift force

A

a mechanical force that is produced by the movement of an object through the air.

108
Q

drag

A

air resistance that opposes movement

109
Q

thrust

A

force produced by jet engines

110
Q

electric field

A

region around a charged particle where any electric charge will experience a force

111
Q

current

A

rate of flow of charge in a conductor

112
Q

potential difference

A

the difference of electrical potential between two points

113
Q

electric field strength at a given point

A

electric force acting on a unit positive charge placed at that point

114
Q

resistance

A

a measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit

115
Q

resistivity

A

a measure of a conductor’s ability to oppose flow of electric current

116
Q

non-conductor

A

a material that x conduct electricity

117
Q

semiconductor

A

a material that has an electrical conductivity value between a conductor and an insulator

118
Q

conductor

A

a material that conducts electricity

119
Q

superconductors

A

a material that conducts electricity w/out resistance

120
Q

critical temperature

A

temperature when the resistivity of a superconductor becomes zero

121
Q

electromotive force

A

energy per unit electric charge that is imparted by an energy source

122
Q

voltage drop

A

decrease of potential difference along the path of a current flowing in an electrical circuit

123
Q

internal resistance

A

resistance caused by electrolyte in the dry cell

124
Q

electrical energy

A

energy derived as a result of movement of electrons

125
Q

power

A

amount of energy transferred

126
Q

electromagnet

A

type of magnet in which the magnetic field is produced by an electric current

127
Q

magnetic field

A

vector field that describes the magnetic influence on moving electric charges, electric currents, and magnetic materials

128
Q

catapult field

A

resultant magnetic field produced by interaction between magnetic field from a current carrying conductor and from a permanent magnet

129
Q

direct current

A

one-directional flow of electric charge

130
Q

electromagnetic induction

A

production of an electromotive force across an electrical conductor in a changing magnetic field

131
Q

magnetic flux

A

magnetic field lines that pass through a surface

132
Q

alternating current

A

describes the flow of charge that changes direction periodically

133
Q

transformer

A

changes voltage of a.c current

134
Q

step up transformer

A

amplifies input voltage

135
Q

step down transformer

A

decrease input voltage

136
Q

ideal transformer

A

a transformer that does not experience energy loss, efficiency is 100%

137
Q

eddy currents

A

loops of electrical current induced within conductors by a changing magnetic field in the conductor

physics (4 decks)

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